The University of Chicago Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (ISAC) and Divinity School invite applications for a Postdoctoral Scholar in religious and literary cultures of the Islamic World for the 2026—2029 academic years. This is a three-year, non-renewable appointment. The Postdoctoral Scholar will engage in research, curation, publication, and exhibition and conference planning. The Scholar will collaborate closely with ISAC’s conservation and exhibition preparation team and the Divinity School’s academic community. This three-year appointment has no teaching commitment, and 50% of the scholar’s time will be allocated to their own research.
The ideal candidate will have the highest proficiency in reading and translating Arabic, as well as in one to two other languages. Preference will be given to candidates whose additional languages include Biblical Hebrew, Syriac/Aramaic, Coptic, Samaritan, or Greek. Applicants should have extensive experience in the analysis of manuscripts from the ancient, late antique, early modern, or medieval periods and expertise in the religious and literary traditions of their period(s). Knowledge of curatorial practices and museum contexts is preferred but not required. We encourage applicants from any methodological or disciplinary background. Applicants should take into consideration the research interests represented at ISAC and the Divinity School.
The Postdoctoral Scholar will conduct a three-year project, at the center of which is a collection of manuscripts from the Islamic world. During the first year of appointment, the Scholar will undertake research on the collection, with attention to conservation needs and thematic and linguistic resonances that will inform the future exhibition. At the same time, the Scholar will begin to organize the material for the exhibition catalogue.
In the second year, the Scholar will work with the conservation and exhibition preparation teams to plan an exhibition organized around a selection of manuscripts from the larger collection. They will also continue work on the catalogue, with the expectation that it will be published and available in advance of the opening of the exhibition in Fall 2027.
In the third year, the Scholar will organize a two-day, international conference on the themes of the exhibition and larger research project. Following the conference, the Scholar will work with publication staff to assemble and edit the proceedings for publication in the “ISAC Museum Publication” series.
Across their three-year appointment, the Scholar will collaborate with non-collections museum departments (e.g. Digital Records, Archives, and Publications, Exhibition department, photographers, engineers, 3D scanning and milling companies, etc.) and participate in the research life of the ISAC, Divinity School, and Marty Center communities.
Minimum Qualifications
Education:
- Minimum requirements include a PhD in related field.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Ph.D in Religious Studies, History, Middle Eastern Studies, or similarly relevant field.
- Expert-level knowledge of Arabic and one additional language (Hebrew, Aramaic/Syriac, Coptic, Samarian, Greek)
- Curatorial experience is not necessary, but an interest in the field is preferred.
Application Documents & Submission Instructions
Only complete applications will be reviewed. The following documents should be compiled into a single PDF file with the naming convention “ISAC-DIV PDS_Lastname Firstname.pdf” and e-mailed to ISAC_DI.5qhp6iysd5mbocs6@u.box.com
- CV
- Cover Letter
- Relevant academic writing sample of no more than 7 pages
- A portfolio of previous curatorial work, if applicable
Review of applications will begin on May 1st, 2026. We anticipate an appointment start date on or after September 1, 2026.
Inquiries may be directed to isac-administration@uchicago.edu with the subject heading “ISAC- Divinity School Post-Doctoral Scholar.”
All University departments and institutes are charged with building a faculty from a diversity of backgrounds and with diverse viewpoints; with cultivating an inclusive community that values freedom of expression; and with welcoming and supporting all their members. We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages diverse perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange. The University’s Statements on Diversity are at https://provost.uchicago.edu/statements-diversity.
The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.
About ISAC, The Divinity School, and the Martin Marty Center
The Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (ISAC) of the University of Chicago is a leading interdisciplinary research center for the ancient Middle East. Since its founding in 1919 – a time when the Middle East was called the Orient – the work of the ISAC has assumed an extraordinary array of forms. We conduct definitive fieldwork projects that shape archaeology, and we discover ancient settlements and their landscapes through state-of-the-art satellite and digital imaging methods. Our linguistic research furthers the decipherment of ancient languages, and we produce dictionaries that serve as cultural encyclopedias for understanding ancient civilizations. We record, document, and preserve imperiled cultural heritage. The ISAC Museum (ISACM), which opened to the public in 1931, houses the largest collections of artifacts from ancient West Asia and North Africa in the United States, with more than 350,000 artifacts excavated primarily by ISAC archaeologists. The ISACM collections also include a comprehensive archive that documents our fieldwork and other research. Together, these collections comprise one of the best resources in the work for West Asia and North Africa, allowing us to understand, reveal, and protect the past.
The Divinity School is dedicated to generating knowledge about religions of the world and their history, theology, beliefs, and practices, and to the training of religious leaders who serve in diverse ministry, chaplaincy, and service institutions. First chartered in 1865 as the Morgan Park Seminary of the Baptist Theological Union, the Divinity School was incorporated into the University of Chicago soon after its inception in 1890. Its faculty is comprised of scholars of a diverse array of traditions, methodologies, time periods, geographies, and languages. The core research and teaching mission of the School is supported by innovative programs and centers.
The Martin Marty Center for the Public Understanding of Religion is the Divinity School’s public-facing wing, organizing programs and research around five central themes, including Religion, Arts, and Culture. The Marty Center provides opportunities for outreach and collaboration between the School and the broader public, creating opportunities for the faculty and students to interact with other divisions and departments, and with communities and organizations around Chicago and beyond.
